Wednesday, 13 April 2005,
1500 hrsTOP STORIESIndia,
China, Russia: Wen
moots tripartite allianceTrilateral cooperation between India,
China and Russia will help democratise international relations and safeguard
world peace, security and stability, the Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao, has
said BUSINESS & ECONOMYPrivate
FM radio: Ministry
proposes 20 pc FDI
Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said at a conference addressed by Wen that China was poised to become India's largest
trading partner in two or three years if the rapid growth in bilateral trade
seen lately was maintained

FEATURE PICKS

Asia TimesIndia sits pretty with US and China
The Chinese premier's visit, on the heels of the US Secretary of State, confirms that Beijing and Washington are on the same track in South Asia. Both are paying more attention to India, despite Pakistani sensitivities. Yet both badly need a stable Pakistan with Pervez Musharraf in charge: so they're bolstering his military.
By B RAMAN
* * *

Indian ExpressFrom ‘Bhai-Bhai’ to ‘Buy-Buy’
This picture of the Chinese economy suggests that the arguments for an FTA with China and the according of ‘market economy’ status to it are very weak.
For India and China, sustainable economic ties, rather than an
FTA, are best, says ARVIND VIRMANI

* * *
Deccan HeraldWen’s initiatives in India and Pakistan
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s three days in Pakistan have produced 22 agreements. These include: the second 350 Meg-awatt nuclear reactor, a free trade accord, more military cooperation, the Gwadar port’s further expansion and above all, a ‘Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Good Neighbourly Relations’.
The major Chinese aim vis-à-vis both Pakistan and India is to see America’s Asian role reduced,
says M B NAQVI
* * *HinduKeeping the bus going
The people of Kashmir who lined up along the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road have offered their self-appointed custodians an exit route. It is up to Manmohan Singh and Pervez Musharraf to seize the
moment, says HARISH KHARE
* * *OutlookCourting Controversy
Harsh critics of the Tamil writer Jayakanthan may feel that being loud, argumentative and shrill is not the best route to literary acceptance. But the Jnanpith puts paid to that, and as the man says, it is 'not a recognition, but an endorsement'.
By A.R. VENKATACHALAPATHY
* * *

What
is India ExclusivesCutting down a heritageUSHA
KRIS brings back hard evidence to show that fullgrown trees are being cut at the
Kanha national park while the authorities make themselves scarceF-16
sale to Pakistan in
US national interest
The US is arming Pakistan to fight its own anti-terror battles, but it
could well ignite trouble
between India and Pakistan, writes ERIC KOO PENG KUANOn
the tiger trailUSHA
KRIS drives deep into the Kanha forest and falls in love with royalty of the
striped variety

The
communist threat is forgotten, not gone
History
tells us that at
least 53
million people have died of communist atrocities the world over. A bloodbath is inevitable if Nepal is left to its own struggles between the
monarchists and the Maoists, warns
ERIC KOO PENG KUAN
Special for ShivaratriPerceptions
of Shiva
in ancient IndiaAncient Indian literature and
iconography
represent Shiva both as a malevolent and a benevolent god. Shiva is both giver and
destroyer, explains ROHITHA EASWERTime to stare
USHA KRIS introduces young readers to the joys of star gazingThe
logic in having an N-missilePakistan has just
test-fired another nuclear missile.
An analysis by
ERIC KOO PENG KUANCoorg
for coffee?USHA KRIS visits an
estate-turned-resort, and is charmed by the sights and sounds of Karnataka's
coffee district